2009 CHEVROLET COLORADO warning

The main components of the instrument panel are the following:
A.Outlet Adjustment on page 3-21.
B.Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
C.Instrument Panel Cluster on page 3-22.
D.Hazard Warning Flashers on page 3-6.
E. Passenger Side Airbag. SeeAirbag System on
page 1-62.
F.Exterior Lamps on page 3-13.Fog Lamps on
page 3-15(If Equipped).Exterior Cargo Lamps
on page 3-16.
G.Parking Brake on page 2-32.H.Horn on page 3-6.
I.StabiliTrak
®System on page 4-6andFour-Wheel
Drive on page 2-28.
J.Audio System(s) on page 3-43.
K. Cigarette Lighter (If Equipped). SeeAshtray(s) and
Cigarette Lighter on page 3-19.
L.Climate Control System on page 3-19.
M.Accessory Power Outlet(s) on page 3-18.
N.Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-25.
O.Glove Box on page 2-46.
3-5

Hazard Warning Flashers
|(Hazard Warning Flasher):Press this button
located on the instrument panel, to make the front and
rear turn signal lamps ash on and off. This warns
others that you are having trouble.
Press
|again to turn the ashers off.
The turn signals do not work while the hazard warning
ashers are on.
Horn
To sound the horn, press the horn symbol on the
steering wheel pad.
Tilt Wheel
A tilt wheel lets the steering wheel be adjusted.
The tilt lever is located on the left side of the steering
column.
To tilt, hold the steering wheel and pull the tilt lever
toward you. Move the steering wheel up or down into
a comfortable position, then release the tilt lever to lock
the wheel in place.
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driving.
3-6

Turn Signal On Chime
If a turn signal is left on for more than 3/4 of a mile
(1.2 km), a chime will sound at each ash of the turn
signal and the message TURN SIGNAL will also appear
in the DIC. To turn the chime and message off, move
the turn signal lever to the off position.
See “TURN SIGNAL” underDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-39for more information.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
23Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer:Push
the turn signal/multifunction lever away from you to turn
the high beams on.
Pull the lever towards you to return to low beams.
This indicator light turns on in the
instrument panel cluster when the
high beam headlamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use the high-beam headlamps to
signal a driver in front of you that you want to pass.
It works even if the headlamps are in the automatic
position.
To use it, pull the turn signal lever toward you, then
release it.
If the headlamps are in the automatic position or on low
beam, the high-beam headlamps will turn on. They will
stay on as long as the lever is held toward you. The
high-beam indicator on the instrument panel cluster will
come on. Release the lever to return to normal operation.
Windshield Wipers
The windshield wiper controls are located on the
multifunction lever. They are controlled by turning
the band with this
zsymbol.
The windshield wipers work in all ignition positions,
except off. This includes the Retained Access Power
mode. SeeRetained Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 2-21.
3-8

Dome Lamp Override
The dome lamp override button is located below the
exterior lamps control.
E(Dome Lamp Override):Press this button in to
make the dome lamps remain off when the doors
are open. To return the lamps to automatic operation,
press
Eagain and return it to the out position.
Exit Lighting
The interior lamps will come on when the key is
removed from the ignition. The lamps will not come
on if the dome override button is pressed in.
Electric Power Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM)
that estimates the battery’s temperature and state
of charge. It then adjusts the voltage for best
performance and extended life of the battery.
When the battery’s state of charge is low, the voltage
is raised slightly to quickly bring the charge back
up. When the state of charge is high, the voltage is
lowered slightly to prevent overcharging. If the vehicle
has a voltmeter gage or a voltage display on theDriver Information Center (DIC), you may see the
voltage move up or down. This is normal. If there
is a problem, an alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the electrical
loads are very high. This is true for all vehicles.
This is because the generator (alternator) may not
be spinning fast enough at idle to produce all the
power that is needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following are on: headlamps, high beams, fog lamps,
rear window defogger, climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer loads, and
loads plugged into accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery. It does this by balancing the generator’s output
and the vehicle’s electrical needs. It can increase
engine idle speed to generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce the power demands
of some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels, without
being noticeable. In rare cases at the highest levels of
corrective action, this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a Driver Information Center (DIC) message
might be displayed, such as BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE,
BATTERY VOLTAGE LOW, or LOW BATTERY. If this
message is displayed, it is recommended that the driver
reduce the electrical loads as much as possible. SeeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-39.
3-17

The recirculation mode cannot be used with oor/defog,
defrost, or defogging modes. If recirculation is selected in
these modes, the indicator will ash or not come on.
Outlet Adjustment
Use the thumbwheel on the outlets to change the
direction of the air ow.
Lift up or push down on the thumbwheel located in
the center of the outlet to direct the air up or down,
or slide the thumbwheel to the left or right to direct the
airow from side-to-side.
Operation Tips

Clear away any ice, snow or leaves from the air
inlets at the base of the windshield that may
block the ow of air into the vehicle.
Use of non-GM approved hood deectors may
adversely affect the performance of the system.
Keep the path under the front seats clear of objects
to help circulate the air inside of the vehicle more
effectively.
Warning Lights, Gages, and
Indicators
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
the warning lights and gages could prevent injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of the vehicle’s functions. Some
warning lights come on briey when the engine is
started to indicate they are working.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of the vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to indicate a problem with
the vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
while driving, or when one of the gages shows there may
be a problem, check the section that explains what to do.
Follow this manual’s advice. Waiting to do repairs can be
costly and even dangerous.
3-21

Speedometer and Odometer
The speedometer shows the speed in both miles per
hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h).
The odometer shows how far the vehicle has been
driven, in either miles (used in the United States)
or kilometers (used in Canada).
The odometer mileage can be checked without the
vehicle running by pressing the trip information stem.
See “Odometer” underDIC Operation and Displays
on page 3-35for more information.
If the cluster is replaced the new one will automatically
detect and update the vehicle’s accumulated mileage.
Trip Odometer
The vehicle has a trip odometer that indicates how far
the vehicle has been driven since the trip odometer was
last set to zero.
See “Trip Odometer” underDIC Operation and Displays
on page 3-35for more information.
Tachometer
The tachometer displays the engine speed in revolutions
per minute (rpm).Notice:If the engine is operated with the
tachometer in the shaded warning area, the vehicle
could be damaged, and the damages would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Do not operate
the engine with the tachometer in the shaded
warning area.
Safety Belt Reminders
Driver Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the engine is started, a chime sounds for
several seconds to remind the driver to fasten the safety
belt, unless the driver safety belt is already buckled.
The driver safety belt light
comes on and stays on
for several seconds, then
ashes for several more.
This chime and light are repeated if the driver remains
unbuckled and the vehicle is in motion. If the driver’s
safety belt is already buckled, neither the chime nor the
light comes on.
3-23

{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light stays on after the
vehicle is started or comes on while driving, it
means the airbag system might not be working
properly. The airbags in the vehicle might not
inate in a crash, or they could even inate
without a crash. To help avoid injury, have the
vehicle serviced right away.
If there is a problem with the airbag system, an airbag
Driver Information Center (DIC) message can also come
on. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-39
for more information.
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
The vehicle has a passenger sensing system.
SeePassenger Sensing System on page 1-70for
important safety information. The instrument panel
has a passenger airbag status indicator.
When the vehicle is started, the passenger airbag status
indicator will light ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and
off, for several seconds as a system check. Then, after
several more seconds, the status indicator will light either
ON or OFF, or either the on or off symbol to let you know
the status of the right front passenger frontal airbag.United States
Canada
3-25

If the word ON or the on symbol is lit on the passenger
airbag status indicator, it means that the right front
passenger frontal airbag is enabled (may inate).
If the word OFF or the off symbol is lit on the airbag
status indicator, it means that the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right front passenger
frontal airbag.
If, after several seconds, both status indicator lights
remain on, or if there are no lights at all, there may
be a problem with the lights or the passenger sensing
system. See your dealer/retailer for service.
{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light ever comes on and
stays on, it means that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help avoid injury to
yourself or others, have the vehicle serviced right
away. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 3-24
for more information, including important safety
information.
Charging System Light
This light comes on briey
when the ignition key is
turned to START, but
the engine is not running,
as a check to show it
is working.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer.
The light should go out once the engine starts. If it stays
on, or comes on while driving, there could be a problem
with the charging system. A charging system message
in the Driver Information Center (DIC) can also appear.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-39for more
information. This light could indicate that there are
problems with a generator drive belt, or that there is an
electrical problem. Have it checked right away. If the
vehicle must be driven a short distance with the light
on, turn off accessories, such as the radio and air
conditioner.
3-26